The times., 1887-12-16
RETURN OF THE GYPSlES.


laying by n Winters Stock, of Hay.
Thus many return to the cities to their
actual habitations, which may have stood
idlo the summer through. Numbers trail
along the highways until their farm homes
arc reached, where, if they be rented, as
they usually are to some less thrifty far
mer, they have reserved few months
housing. Thousands wander into the
central south for all winter dickering and
trading there. Many return to their vii
lage homes, over or alongside mammoth
barns, where winters gypsy jockeying
is done. Great crowds of them, not vet
so well along as their brethren in gain
ings, straggle into the cities. In the COM
moner quarters these turn their hands to
bird training. basket weaving, training
and trading in valuable cats and dogs,
while hundreds of gypsy youths secure
ready employment under gentlemen's
grooms, and particularly at the care of
horses being fitted for the next years
events of the turf. Still others, and these
comprise the larger number, come troop.
ing into thousands of little villages and
countryside places throughout the south
ern portions of northern states and in the
northern tier Of southern states, arriving
as early as the last October days. The
movements Of these provide a genuine
gypsy study.
Their arrival is hardly noticed, as they
never come in large body, but in twos
and threes, and it is often weeks before
the little gypsy community is at its best.
The vanguard has quietly rented some
deserted roadside inn at the outskirts of
the village, or some former spacious homo
long gone to decay. This is always got
for song. However much house room
it may have, it must invariably possess the
requisite of great ramshacllle barn and
outlying sheds. For little time tho gyp-
sizes seem to merely exist here. But every
day their women folk may be seen miles
away, spinning in light buggies over the
autumn roads in every direction. Not
only are they found on the well travelled
highways, but every grass grown wagon
road leading to secluded and remotest
farms has been hunted and haunted. At
this home and that; there tarrying un-
der pretense of admiring some animal;
there making o trifiing purchase of
vegetables and poultry; over yonder bar
tering for, but never buying, grain and
hay; again telling q fortune or two if
appealed to; but seldom urging such
profitable vocation--in' a little time these
canniest and most indomitable of all hu-
man detectives have at their tongues
end, for home reference, every possible
item Of information regarding the finan-
cial standing and condition Of every
farmer for half q county round.
Then Of sudden some luclkless wight,
under terror of an overdue note or re-
lentless mortgage, has sold his cornfield
Gin the shock to the gypsies. Another's
weather Drowned stacks Of hay have
come into their possession. Then begins,
and to continue the whole winter through,
a ceaseless procession Of young stock,
horses and mules, toward the gypsies'
temporary domicile. Drunken farmer,
unfortunate farmer, thriftless farmer, in
all directions, pays the penalties of i'll
doing or i'll luck to these superb jockeys,
who, buying for pittances, and for
months selling at excellent prices or not
at all, at their improvised market, make
largo profits; and the spring finds them
ready for greedy city buyers with great
numbers of stock transformed from
shaggy, ambling beasts to animals Of
such splendid form and spirit as do even
city gypsy traders eyes good to look
upon. Tho amount of live stock thus
gathered up every winter throughout the
country is tremendous; the profits are
inconceivably great and these wizards
of the stable must eventually largely con-
troll the entire horse trade Of the country.
Edgar l.. Wakeman's Letter.